Secret of the Sunset
by Ashatara
Summary: Three afternoons in the relationship of Kyoya and Tamaki. Nothing bad, just cute.


**Disclaimer: **I don't own Ouran. Did you really think I did?

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Kyoya sighed and looked up into Tamaki's expectant purple eyes as Tamaki walked over. Upon contact, Tamaki knew instantly. He wasn't as thick as he would have others believe. He sat down on the couch opposite Kyoya and broke the eye connection. The table leg was looking quite interesting now. Silence reigned as the two best friends drank in the situation and wallowed in a silent misery, the last rays of golden sunshine lapping at their feet.

"It's my father." Kyoya said eventually to ease the silence, "It's my brother too."

Tamaki's sight change of posture helped Kyoya to continue. But it hurt him at the same time to be putting Tamaki into this position. He was the only one who could read Tamaki like this. Perhaps Tamaki was the only one who could read _him_ like he did…

Kyoya sighed again. "My brother…announced he was homosexual. So, he's out of the running for heir. My own chances are greater now. But…"

He left the line hanging. They both knew what he meant. Kyoya had far too much to lose if he got caught with Tamaki now. It was time for _that_ chapter of their life to conclude, for their secret to disappear into the shadows while it could still do so unnoticed.

Tamaki smiled, forcing Kyoya to look away again as a mixture of sunlight and that special Tamaki…flavour spiced the air around him. A shiver went up his spine.

"I understand. But we can still be friends, right? Your father wants us to be anyway. And –" he was suddenly filled with bright, bouncy energy –" when you become the heir, and when we're both owners, we can end this competition between!"

Kyoya rolled his eyes. "_If _I become heir…well, you do realise, this is forever? I can only become the heir if I'm not _involved_ with you, I can only confirm that role through marriage."

Tamaki fell silent again. "It doesn't matter. As long as I have you, as long as you're always there for me, as long as we're always friends, then nothing else matters. I don't want to lose another kaa-san." He muttered, blinking back tears.

He looked so lonely. Kyoya sneaked a glance at him and instantly regretted it. He wanted to hold Tamaki, to shield him from harm, to claim him as his forevermore. He almost voiced the idea of  'screw being the heir, I want you instead'. Which was the better merit here?

A small wet tear rolled down Tamaki's cheek. Kyoya sighed and gave in, reaching for Tamaki, pulling him over to sit on his lap, cradled against Kyoya's chest. Kyoya's chin rested gently on Tamaki's head, the relaxing perfumed scent of his hair sending another burst of longing through Kyoya.

"Shh, it's alright. I'll be here. I'll be here whenever you want me. I'll protect you."

They forgot how long they sat there, resting against each other, tasting the raw emotions rolling off each other, letting everything out in order to get on with their lives.

--

It was a few weeks later when they found themselves alone again. That afternoon began the same way. Kyoya sighed and looked at Tamaki, sitting opposite him, reading. The setting sun could be seen through window directly behind him, giving Tamaki a halo of light from Kyoya's view. Tamaki looked up from his book, mildly startled. A bolt of electricity ran where their eyes connected and down to the core of their being.

"What is it this time?"

Kyoya gave a small smile. "My father."

"Again?"

"He's already looking for an heir. He asked me, and so I presume he also asked my brother…if I would marry for love – in which case he would consider Haruhi – or for social standing."

Tamaki waited for him to go on, a tiny sliver of pain already present in his eyes. But Kyoya didn't continue. The silence stretched on until -

"What did you say?"

Kyoya looked at him, pleading silently. "There's one thing Father didn't consider. I don't love Haruhi. If he had given me the option of who I _do _love…that would have been different. Therefore…" He gave a sigh and straightened his glasses.

Tamaki didn't know how to react to Kyoya's choice. Flattered? Scared? Jealous? "I suppose it does have more benefits to you…do you know who he's suggesting?"

"Ah. That's the difficult one. I checked. There is only one possible match he would consider for me, and another for my brother. It'll be _her_."

Tamaki sighed. "That's alright then. I know you like her too. No. That's wrong. You _love_ her too. Doesn't your father know that?"

Kyoya shook his head.

"What did you brother choose?"

"I would presume he went for love. He seems infatuated with his girlfriend."

"And this will decide the heir?"

Kyoya nodded. "Most likely. Our reactions should indicate ambition and priority."

Tamaki stood. "I'm happy for you." He said, and smiled.

They embraced quickly and left the room, each going their separate paths home.

---

A few months later, Kyoya sat in the dying sunlight, typing away at his laptop. This afternoon held the same lazy quality, the sunlight and warmth almost putting him to sleep. Tamaki slunk into the room, far too quiet to be his normal, bubbly self. He crossed the room and sat before the piano. Flexing his fingers, he began to play. Kyoya's fingers only paused momentarily. He noted the music, the soft longing, the lingering notes held and kept typing. Neither spoke. When the piece was over, the last notes fading into the sunset, Tamaki looked up at Kyoya.

"I heard." He said with a strained smile, "Congratulations."

Kyoya stopped. Their eyes met. The look in Tamaki's eyes were enough to throw Kyoya into turmoil and uncertainty. But a lifetime with Tamaki was neither practical, nor possible.

"Thankyou."

"You finally did it. You're not just the third son anymore. You're the heir. I always knew you would do it." Tamaki choked over the last few words, as memories of the day he first saw Kyoya's true self came washing over him.

"Thankyou." And Kyoya knew too. Kyoya knew he didn't have to say anything else, because he knew Tamaki knew what he knew. They both knew what Kyoya really meant.

There was a pause as Tamaki tried to get his voice, breath and emotions under control. Kyoya tried to look away, to spare them both…but failed. He had brought this on himself. He deserved to suffer for doing this to Tamaki, for doing this to himself.

"So…" Tamaki took a deep breath. "When's the wedding?"

"Next year. We're flying over to France, to their main estate."

"Oh." France. Which meant Tamaki probably wouldn't be able to go. He wondered if he even _wanted_ to go. Wait. Of course he did. For Kyoya. He could do it for Kyoya. To see Kyoya happy. For his special day. No. He _would_ do it for Kyoya.

Tamaki attempted a smile. "That makes it sound like you're marrying into _her_ family."

Kyoya gave a startled laugh. "I suppose it does."

They lapsed back into silence. Kyoya turned back to his laptop, staring blankly at the screen.

"Congratulations to you too. I heard. Your grandmother finally accepted you?"

"Well, not quite. I think father won her over."

"I see. We should celebrate. Dinner. Drinks. A toast. To the both of us becoming successors."

"And business partners."

"Oh, far more than that." Kyoya turned back. "Friends, business partners…why shouldn't we be spending time in each others company? Nothing suspicious about that."

Tamaki's eyes lit up. "You mean…?"

Kyoya smiled. It had taken months of anguish, but now Kyoya _knew_. "Come here. We'll be okay. A little marriage won't be enough to demolish our happiness."

Tamaki stood and crossed the room, folding himself under Kyoya's arm and leaning against him. He smiled properly for the first time in months as Kyoya relaxed. Kyoya breathed in the scent of Tamaki's golden hair and smiled too.

"Just our little secret then?"

Kyoya smiled and drew Tamaki closer, basking in the warmth of the sun, and that of Tamaki. He could see a future stretched out before them, leading far over the horizon.

"Yes." He replied, with a contented smile, "Our little secret."


End file.
